


A Friend in Me

by TheSopherfly



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bruce Banner Feels, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Important Talks, Loneliness, POV Bruce Banner, Possibly Pre-Slash, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, maybe Tony is mourning Jarvis a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 12:07:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12387756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSopherfly/pseuds/TheSopherfly
Summary: Bruce and Tony talk about feeling lonely. And yes, maybe Bruce already knows that Tony cares - but it sure is nice to hear.(Bruce & Tony Friendship ficlet. Can be interpreted as pre-romance.)





	A Friend in Me

 

“D’you ever just sit around wondering if anybody cares?”

Bruce hadn’t made a sound, but somehow Tony had known the second Bruce had come into the room. Bruce closed the door quietly behind him, making his way toward Tony with his hands tucked awkwardly into his pockets.

The compound was quiet; everyone had gone to bed except for Vision, who couldn’t have conformed to human sleeping patterns if he’d tried. Tony was sitting on top of the work table, a tumbler in hand, staring out the glass walls onto the track below. The stadium lights were still on - that had to be a waste of electricity - but there was no one outside. It felt eerie, seeing a field normally full of recruits entirely deserted. Bruce shot Tony a sidelong glance.

“Cares about what?” Bruce asked softly, finally responding to Tony’s question.

“Whether or not you exist.”

Bruce made a face. He could see it reflected in the glass in front of them - it looked skeptical and sad. He wasn’t sure whether that was better or worse than Tony’s indifference.

“Me and existence don’t exactly have a great relationship,” Bruce said, hopping up onto the table next to Tony. “My whole life is basically an existential crisis.”

Tony chuckled, his mouth closed. “Are you saying it’s not easy being green?”

Bruce closed his eyes, powerless to stop the smile that spread across his face. “You’re awful, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.”

In the silence that followed, Tony put the tumbler to his lips and tipped it back, finishing what was left of the whiskey. Bruce stared at him, wondering just how long Tony had been sitting in here by himself.

“Did something happen?” Bruce asked.

“No. Not really.” Tony looked down into the empty glass, swirling the ice a few times before setting it down beside him. “It’s just… How can you be surrounded by so many people, so many things, and still feel lonely?”

Bruce crossed his arms, pressing them tightly into his chest. “I could get into the psychology of that, but I’m pretty sure that’s not what you’re asking.”

“I know the psychology. Doesn’t help.” Tony breathed out, a long, slow sigh. “Do you feel lonely, Bruce?”

Bruce stared out into the distance. “All the time.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Bruce turned his head, meeting Tony’s eyes. “People care, you know. I care.”

Tony’s expression softened. “Thanks.”

“Wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.”

Tony didn’t answer. Bruce wasn’t afraid of silence; he let it stretch between them, comfortable and easy, until Tony spoke again.

“Hey, Bruce.”

“Hmm?”

“I care, too. About you. I know I’m bad at saying it, and even worse at hearing it, but I care.”

That had never been a question. Bruce knew Tony cared. Tony had worked so hard to make Bruce comfortable, to give him tools to deal with the mutation that neither of them had been able to fix. Tony sent Bruce equations to solve, not because Tony couldn’t work them out, but because Tony knew that Bruce liked to feel useful. And Tony called Bruce every other day, usually under the guise of needing to talk through some new tech or other. Bruce saw straight through that, but he never commented. He needed those talks just as much as Tony did.

Tony’s actions told Bruce enough. Still. It was nice to hear the words out loud. Bruce logged them away, saving them for the next time he thought he was all alone in this enormous, random universe.

“I know, Tony.” Bruce kept his eyes trained on the floor, smiling to himself. “I know.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Feel free to stop by my [tumblr](https://sopherfly.tumblr.com/) for fic updates, or just to say hello. :)


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